February 26, 2014

by Office of Communications

On Wednesday, February 12, Midwestern University welcomed some of Arizona's top high school students for the annual Arizona Regional Brain Bee, an educational competition similar to a spelling bee that focuses on neuroscience. The 2014 Arizona Regional Brain Bee at Midwestern University was presented in partnership with the BHHS Legacy Foundation.

One hundred forty-eight students from 15 Arizona high schools, some of whom came to the Brain Bee from as far away as Kingman, converged on the University's Glendale Campus to test their knowledge of the human brain, how it governs human behavior, and the science that helps medical professionals understand brain function. It was the largest turnout for the Brain Bee since Midwestern University began hosting it in 1999.

The top three Brain Bee finishers, in order, were Jaeyoung Kang and Vijeeth Guggilla from BASIS Chandler and Anisha Ariff from BASIS Peoria. All participants received certificates of participation as well as Brain Bee pins.

For his performance in the Brain Bee, Mr. Kang won a $2,000 scholarship towards tuition in any Midwestern University program at either the University's Glendale Campus or the campus in Downers Grove, Illinois, as well as travel expenses to help him as he competes at the upcoming National Brain Bee in Washington, D.C.

Midwestern University faculty and students served as judges, question readers, timers, and scorekeepers for the Brain Bee, using the book Brain Facts, published by the Society for Neuroscience, as the source text. Questions ran the gamut from identifying physical features of the brain itself to naming brain disorders and diseases to surgical and medical practices that modify neural behavior.